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James Delaney
|Image=Web_cast_tomhardy_taboo.jpg |Birth= |Death= |Occupation= |Allies= Brace (servant) Michael Godfrey (Friend; former classmate) George Cholmondeley (Partner in Crime) Atticus (Partner in Crime) Helga (Ally) Winter (friend) |Enemies= Sir Stuart Strange† Thorne Geary† Prince Regent Solomon Coop |Interests= |Education= |Family= Horace Delaney† (father) Anna Delaney† (mother) Zilpha Geary† (half-sister) Thorne Geary† (brother-in-law) Robert (stepbrother/son) Lorna Bow (stepmother) |First appearance=Shovels and Keys |Last appearance= |Portrayer=Tom Hardy |status: = Alive}} is a main character in the BBC and FX original drama Taboo, portrayed by Tom Hardy. Background James Keziah Delaney is a man who has been to the ends of the earth and comes back irrevocably changed. Believed to be long dead, he returns home to London from Africa to inherit what is left of his father’s shipping empire and rebuild a life for himself. But his father’s legacy is a poisoned chalice, and with enemies lurking in every dark corner, James must navigate increasingly complex territories to avoid his own death sentence. Encircled by conspiracy, murder, and betrayal, a dark family mystery unfolds in a combustible tale of love and treachery. Appearance and Personality is a no nonsense former corporal of the East India Company with an inclination to violence and insubordination. His irascible temperament is imputed to the same mental illness that afflicted his mother. Actually, James is a man capable of being charitable and friendly with those few who counts among his allies. James has beliefs and rituals learned from his stay in Africa, making him odd in the eyes of the British. During his training at the East India Company, James proved to be an outstanding cadet, skilled in all manner of tasks. James is a man in his late twenties with a well-proportioned build, unshaven oval face marked by some scars, and blue eyes. James has several tribal tattoos all over his body, adequately covered by clothing. History Covered with an overcoat during a rainstorm, James buried a bag before spurring his horse toward London. Entered the morgue, he stole the coins placed on the eyes of his late father and, later, he put the coins in the offertory during the funeral, leaving those present shocked by his presence as long believed dead. Greater shock when, during the burial, he murmured strange words as he painted his face with red dust. Approached by his sister and her husband, James showed himself unfriendly, with his brother-in-law at least. By contrast was his meeting with his servant Brace, who he met when he returned to his old home. The two had a long conversation before the fire, digging unpleasant memories of the past. The next day, James went to the old offices of his family at the docks, where he discovered that Helga von Hinten took the unused warehouse as a brothel. Irritated, the two had an altercation resulting in a profit-sharing of the brothel revenue. Moreover, James tried to remedy the wrongdoing of his father to his tenants, providing monetarily for the maintenance of a kid, believed to be his father's illegitimate son under Ibbotson's care. By night, Delaney visited the mortuary where a physician was intent on studying the recently stolen corpse of Horace Delaney, because James wanted to find out the causes of his father's death. The place, however, triggered disturbing visions in James, where he removed the shrouds from some corpses in a slave-ship, and apparently raised the corpse of a black slave coming forth to judge him. In the following days, Delaney went to the headquarters of the East India Company in London to discuss his legacy, proving right away little tolerance to the creeping hypocrisy among men who received him in a luxurious room. Back home, James found a letter secretly sent by his sister, in which she begged him to let the secrets of the past "buried in a deeper grave" After retrieving the bag buried before his return to London, James began to secure rough diamonds contained inside it in a recently purchased safety deposit box, after having sent a diamond to his sister Zilpha. Downtown, James bought a ship at an auction on behalf of his own shipping company, attracting the attention of Wilton and the East India Company. His presence in London did not go unnoticed and in fact he was approached by Atticus, former sailor in the pay of his father, who informed him of a gentleman who tried to recruit Atticus to kill Horace Delaney. The man was later identified as his brother in law, Thorne Gaery. Another hint of a potential assailant came from Winter, a young mulatto that by night approached James at the dock, telling him that Helga was conspiring behind him. Indicating a moored boat as the hiding of commissioned killer, the two embarked toward the moored ship. However, when James reached the ship he found nothing but rats and a few coins. He decided, therefore, to set fire to the ship. Even worse was what he found aboard the "Feliz Adventurero", the recently acquired ship which turned out to be a slave ship. Overwhelmed by dreadful visions, James got rid of his clothes and, completely naked, began to exorcise the ship carving designs on the floorboards, and breaking the chains while chanting in Twi language, later throwing a few pieces of colored glass into the sea. With awareness of slave trades on behalf of the East India Company, Delaney tried to get in touch with Dumbarton, an American doctor who could have put him in contact with the dense network of American spies, but the two soon arrived at loggerheads. When he thought he had solved his problems with his father's legacy, as the sole heir, Lorna Bow made her appearance at the attorney's office, claiming to be the widow of Horace Delaney. After the fiasco to mend relations with his sister, James was stabbed by a masked assailant while walking in a dark alley. In turn, Delaney savagely mauled the assailant's neck. Survived the attack thanks to the timely rescue of a Dumbarton's spy, James haggled with yankee doctor about the possibility of contacting Carlsbad; James Delaney demanded the monopoly on the tea trade in exchange for valuable help against the British Crown and the East India Company. Meanwhile, Dumbarton stitched his wounds. Determined to carry on his plans, and accompanied by Brace, James settled a few trades with Atticus at the port; Later, he met with Thoyt to draw up his testamentary wills, leaving everything as an inheritance to the fifteen Free States of America. In slowing down his plans occurred the terrifying visions of the past when James visited his deceased mother's bedroom, also bringing it to seek analogies with the Sankofa (tribal bird) marked between his shoulder blades, and the one engraved in hood of the fireplace. Even more determined to discover the past misdeeds of his father and prepare for revenge against the East India Company, James visited a brothel for men only, where he forced "Godders", Company's clerk, as well as his former classmate in love with him, to become his informant about Company's private affairs. After exchanging a few letters with his sister Zilpha, in which he remarked his love for the woman and the opportunity to run away together from outdated social norms and sorrow, the siblings met secretly in church but only after James had had an unpleasant conversation with his brother in law. Meanwhile, Lorna Bow showed up at Delaney mansion claiming to be its co-owner. James was forced to rush to the rescue of Lorna when the woman was involved in a brawl with a rich man who wanted to use her as a prostitute. James, sitting before the fireplace, was intent on having a vision of him floating in the water when the soldiers broke into the house to arrest Lorna Bow. James had time to warn the woman what to do before it was swept away by the constables. When Lorna was exonerated and returned home, James again offered her his protection in exchange for an alliance. Later, he visited James Godfrey to be made aware of the East India Company plans. Urged by the desire for full notta, wearing only a shirt James knelt before the fireplace and began chanting incomprehensible recitations, dirtying the face of pigments and soot, and blowing smoke and wine on the flames. In doing so, James was apparently able to unleash erotic dreams in his sister. Totally intrigued by the show of the chemist George Cholmondeley, James offered him a job as a member of his entourage of criminals. He held so consideration of the scientist's skills to offer him a desolate farmhouse in the countryside as a new factory where creating his explosives. While visiting the farm, James was attacked by a muscular bloke who found a quick death at the hands of the same Delaney, over-excited by the murder so as to cut the man's tendons of the legs and disembowel him. James received an invitation from the Countess Musgrove, and he showed up at the soiree together with Lorna Bow. The party was a triumph of alcohol and laughter, and quickly turned into an obscene feast. Not at all interested in taking part in it, James had the opportunity to be alone with the Countess, who turned out to be no other than "Carlsbad". The two agreed to a covenant before James would find himself in a fight with Thorne; the latter then challenged him to a duel in front of all the guests, including a shocked Zilpha. Accepted the challenge, James went to the predefined location early in the morning on board of a small boat and without a second. Thorne Geary's gun loaded with blanks pushed him to doubt the loyalty of his brother-in-law's companion, so James shot him fatally. Back home, James decided to have breakfast on the beach with Lorna, where asked her once again to give him his father's trunk. The rest of the day was so full of commitments; after brutally hurt a spy who was at his heels, James reached Cholmondeley to note the progress in the processing of chemical compounds, carrying his little stepbrother as assistant to the chemist. James then visited the criminals of the Dolphin Inn, where he tore the thumb of a traitor as a warning to all others, before going to Helga's prostitutes, warning them about the soldiers' intentions. In the evening, James performed a ritual on the lakeshore, where he had a vision of himself covered with ashes, and immersed into the lake. The premonition was accompanied by the sound of a explosion, but when James asked explanations to the chemist, he denied that any explosion had occurred outside of his vision. At home, James burned all the drawings and the letters of his father recovered from the trunk, in search of the document in which it was drawn up the sale of Nootka Sound and his own mother from a native tribe. After a discussion with Lorna, she pointed to the man a secret compartment where the document was hidden. The next day, James was solicited by Dumbarton to shorten the processing time of making gunpowder; a request that led to an argument between James and Cholmondeley because of the danger of using chlorate. James then visited the Countess, so that the parties of the agreement be respected even if James refused to hand over the document until he had trusted the woman. James had an unpleasant conversation with Brace about the real reasons that led his father to lock James' mother in an asylum. James was furious with his servant when Brace said that Anna Delaney tried to drown him as an infant. Angry and drunk, James went to the docks at night, where he met Winter. The two conversed briefly before James sent the girl away rudely. The next morning, James performed one of his mysterious rituals, by immersing himself in the lake for summoning visions about the mysterious figure identified as his mother. The vision was so violent and terrifying that James risked drowning. In the distance, hidden behind a tree, Robert witnessed the scene. Meanwhile the preparations of gunpowder were almost completed, and James arranged with Dumbarton to transport the gunpowder inside the coffin designated as coffins of some of cholera patients. The transit was successful thanks to Robert who pretended to be one of the corpses in the coffin when some soldiers checked the cargo of the hearse. Back home after three days of absence without saying anything, James had a conversation with Lorna about her concerns for the life of her stepson. Late at night, James was visited by his half-sister who confessed to have killed her husband. James then had to get rid of the corpse using the help of Dumbarton, who falsified the autopsy indicating the death as due to cholera. James was visited by his friend Godders, who informed Delaney that Ibbotson had betrayed their gang. Angered, James killed the farmer and removed his tongue before laying the body in the church so that it was found by the priest who had blabbed Ibbotson's confession to the East India Company. To avoid getting caught, James Delaney and his men had to flee with gunpowder on board small boats. Later, James dug a grave for the coffin of his brother-in-law, and after the funeral, he had a sexual intercourse with his helf-sister, which ended when he tried to choke her, shocked by some visions of his mother. The next day, on his way to the harbor, James was approached by Benjamin Wilton, who informed him that Sir Stuart Strange had declared war. As soon as the executive walked away in his carriage, James' ship blew up. Extremely angry, James went to the Molly house where he pointed a knife at the throat of Godders, but the young secretary said that he was completely in the dark of Sir Strange's plan. To work off his anger, James went to Helga's tavern and the two had an argument when she refused to kill a captain to procure a new ship to James. Drunk, James headed to the docks where had an argument with Winter. The next morning, James woke up in the middle of the mud beside Winter's mauled corpse. James witnessed the funeral of Winter from afar, claiming to be on the shoreline to notice the ships moored when Lorna Bow expressed her condolences. James day did nothing but get drunk all day, consumed with guilt over the death of the young girl, so much to see her spirit haunting his room. At night, he was visited by George Chichester. The man claimed to be aware of James' involvement in the sinking of the slave ship following the orders of Sir Stuart Strange. The two decided to team up to cause the defeat of their common enemy. The next day, James handed to Robert the key to his safety deposit box so the boy preserved it with great care. Later, walking toward the tavern, James was sideswiped by gunshots fired by Helga, who accused the man of the murder of her daughter. James decided to guard the barrels of gunpowder inside the asylum where his mother was locked, and he made sure that Atticus took charge of the task. In his office, James had a discussion with Zilpha, putting an end to their relationship to the chagrin of the woman. Back home, he talked with Brace, and the servant confessed to have poisoned Horace Delaney using rat poison out of mercy. The next day, James was performing one of his rituals in the woods when he was approached by Godders and the two made their way to the Molly House where they met George Chichester. James at this point persuaded Godders to convince Chichester to be willing to take part in their conspiracy against the East India Company. After addressing Godders to Atticus, and having asked the prostitutes of the brothel to leave the building, James was arrested for high treason by the King's guards. James was long tortured by Solomon Coop's men, but he refused to confess his allies' names. James' only request was to speak with Sir Strange. After hours of agony without confessing anything, James received permission to speak with Sir Strange in a cell. James blackmailed Sir Strange revealing that he had put in place a plan to ensure the success of his escape. If within four hours Sir Strange had not been to the terms of the agreement, James would have made sure that Godfrey hand over his report to the Royal Commission. Shortly before his trial in front of the members of the royal council, James had a crisis that made him spill blood and foaming at the mouth. This made the trial postponed for a few hours. Once before Solomon Coop, James Delaney informed the royal secretary that he would be released by noon due to falling of the charges against him by the East India Company. Once out of the Tower of London, James gave Robert a letter for Mr Chichester, then came home and discovered about Zilpha's death from a letter penned by Zilpha herself. Unable to accept the death of his beloved Zilpha, James was comforted by Lorna. James paid a visit to Dumbarton at St Bartholomew's Hospital, and the doctor made him drink laudanum diluted with burdock to relieve his pain. James revealed that he had discovered Dumbarton's true intentions and his alliance with the East India Company. For this betrayal, James killed the spy by drugging him with the laudanum, and drowning him in a basin with dye. Doing so triggered the vision of his drowned sister. Before leaving St Bartholomew's Hospital, James hung Dumbarton's corpse with ropes, as a message for Sir Strange. James reached Atticus and the rest of his affiliates at the Dophin Inn. While waiting to be able to set sail, James informed Brace that he would have remained in England, and that Chamber House now belonged to him. After a violent clash with King's guards, which cost the lives of several of his allies, James sailed to the Americas. As a last gesture of courtesy, James made sure that Chichester got the documents needed to prosecute the East India Company for the sinking of the Cornwallis, the ship known as The Influence when used as a slave ship. Once at sea, James revealed to Atticus that they were directed not to the Americas, but rather to Ponta Delgada in the Azores, Portugal. Memorable Quotes :"I witnessed and participated in darkness that you cannot conceive." :― James Delaney ---- :"People who do not know me soon come to understand that I do not have any sense." :― James Delaney to Helga ---- :"I do know the evil that you do, because I was once part of it." :― James Delaney to Sir Stuart Strange ---- :"I have sworn to do very foolish things" :― James Delaney ---- :"I know things about the dead." :― James Delaney ---- :"I am inside your heads, gentlemen. Always." :― James Delaney ---- :"What kind of rational man believes in justice?" :― James Delaney to Chichester ---- Images Episode Appearances Notes * His full name is James Keziah Delaney. * The mysterious words Hardy’s character uses throughout the episode are from the Twi language, spoken by of the native Ashanti people from Ghana, Africa. The programme was advised on the language by Naomi Fletcher, Anthnoy Dwomo and Akwasi Amponsah from The Cultural Group. Radiotimes.com 13 burning question on Taboo * Hardy conceived the character of James Delaney almost a decade ago, and the project has grown out of that initial character portrait: a villainous character like Oliver Twist's Bill Sikes, mixed with the likes of Heart of Darkness's Marlow and Jack the Ripper, and put inside a gentleman's body. Why Tom Hardy went to TV with "Taboo" * There are many legends on James Delaney and his time spent in Africa. One of these concerns cannibalism. Others are raids, massacres and bestial brutality. ** According to Winter, James Delaney is a werewolf with knowledge of the magical arts. ** One of the rumors spread throughout London concerning the alliance between James and the Devil himself, and some claim that James is himself a devil. * The connections to the supernatural are reinforced by James Delaney's beliefs and behaviors, including the recitation of prayers and incantations. Through the use of herbs and fumigations, James is able to have disturbing visions but it is unknown whether these visions are real, simple memories, or the result of a deviant mind. * Tom Hardy told IGN that the parts of the story that might seem supernatural are more just a way for Taboo's storytellers to play around with the show's tone. "What's interesting is that if a person's third eye is opened up, then their dreams, they dream while they're awake and they're processing it. Those dreams take on imagery of what he's projecting and mixing together. So they're not specific, they're an amalgamation of imagery that he deciphers," Hardy explained. "He's firing images about what he doesn't know and trying to process that. It's not supernatural, it's about processing traumatic stress." And as for that thread of supernatural storytelling, Hardy wants to emphasize that it's less an integral part of the narrative they're weaving and more a way to get inside Delaney's head. "He very well may be shamanistic. He very well could have a third eye. But he could actually just be damaged," he said. "We have to start with a slow burn so it feels like a novel so by the time you establish who they are, hopefully people stick with it because the payoff in eight is in a different place than we start off. So then when you rewatch it, that's a nice contained piece which can continue on." TABOO: Tom Hardy explains the supernatural side of the period drama * Although Robert is believed to be Horace Delaney's illegitimate child, there is the possibility that he might be a result of the relationship between James and Zilpha. Who Is The Boy In 'Taboo'? Episode 5 May Reveal Robert's Mysterious Identity * His English address was a mansion known as "Chamber House", on Wapping Wall, a street located in the East End of London at Wapping. References Category:Male Character Category:Main Character Category:Season 1 Character